NIH Seeks Your Input on Strategies to Address Community Engagement and Health Disparities

On May 29, 2015, as part of the President’s proposed Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI), the NIH published a Request for Information seeking the public’s input on effective community engagement strategies to advance the ability of the precision medicine cohort to address health disparities. Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle. In order for the benefits of precision medicine and the PMI to be available to all people, the NIH aims to assemble a cohort reflective of the rich diversity of the U.S. population. This includes those who are medically underserved and/or historically underrepresented in biomedical research, or who, for reasons of systematic social disadvantage experience disparities in health.

Through the RFI, NIH seeks information about community engagement strategies that would enable broad and sustained participation from diverse populations in this large U.S. cohort. Information on issues of trust, willingness to undergo biomedical research testing, and racial/ethnic differences in attitudes towards precision medicine are particularly important. In addition, NIH requests strategies that are community specific and culturally sensitive and incorporate system, environmental, and individual-level perspectives.

Responses to the RFI are entirely voluntary, and responders are encouraged to address any of the categories listed in the RFI. Responses will be compiled and may be shared publicly. All responses must be submitted online by June 19, 2015.

Related Links

RFI Summary: NIH Precision Medicine Cohort — Strategies to Address Community Engagement and Health Disparities